The strands of the bracelet are made in a flexible material, such as leather or plastic, or in a hard material, for example metal or ceramic, in the form of links mounted hinged to each other.
The bracelet can also be made of two rigid arms in a circular arc, hingedly connected to the case.
The clasp can in particular be formed, secured to one of the strands, by a buckle and a tongue, which engages in holes comprised by the other strand. It can also be of the deploying type, comprising one or two pairs of hinged arms, kept closed by a locking member. The functional structure of these different types of bracelet and clasp are well known by one skilled in the art, which is why they will not be described in further detail as to their maintenance function.
The function of the bracelet is therefore generally to ensure maintenance of the watch on the arm of the wearer. Known, however, are bracelets on which plates are mounted bearing written information, for example a calendar. Also known are bracelets with links whereof at least one is hollow and is used to house objects with small dimensions, for example contact lenses.
Document CH 682′290 describes, for example, a bracelet provided with a housing in which an object such as a magnifying glass can be arranged. The magnifying glass is removable and can easily be moved away. Moreover, document FR 2,599,521 relates to a watch provided with a mirror mounted pivoting on the case and covering the display.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,222 concerns a wristwatch in which a magnifying glass is integrated to one of the strands of the bracelet. All leads one to think that this is a Fresnel-type magnifying glass, given its shape and dimensions. A magnifying glass of this type is generally made in plastic. In the described embodiment, the dimensions of the magnifying glass are certainly large, but the risk is great that the magnifying glass will deform and scratch, then no longer being able to perform its function.
In document U.S. Pat. No. 1,874,984, a magnifying glass is secured to a wristwatch case using a small chain. This small chain risks catching, making wearing the watch somewhat uncomfortable. Lastly, the German utility model DE 201′06′021 describes a watch provided with a magnifying glass mounted on the cap of the clasp or on the case. The magnifying glass arranged on the cap of the clasp seems to be made up of a cylinder whereof the diameter is smaller than the thickness, not able to ensure an observation function.
Very top-of-the-line watches sometimes comprise identification codes etched on the bottom of the case. These are very difficult to read, since they must be discreet in order to avoid effecting the esthetics of the product. The presence of a magnifying glass makes it possible to verify this information, but also to examine the fineness of the decorations with which the watch is provided in detail.